ISDN – The newspaper of digital recording? SoundStreak + EWABS Demo

If you are one of the many Voice Over or Production pros in need of live talent monitoring solutions, SoundStreak seems like a great new option. I had only barely heard about it and before I could put any thought into it, I see George and Dan are all over it! (video below)

ISDN – Should it just saunter out behind the barn and you know…pass on?

It has come up in many of my podcast episodes and some people think ISDN is going NOWHERE. Other’s (including me) think it is a dying technology and will be dead….uh…when? Soon? Later? Source Connect, another ISDN alternative, has been around a while but is actually a bit dated now by technological standards and doesn’t have 100% quality of ISDN. An issue with Source Connect is if both Talent and Producer do NOT have the service you must use a third party to connect – more money. NOT awful but not convenient unless everyone has an account. And again, by some accounts (I’ve never used it) is just not quite at the same sound quality standards. Not an ISDN replacement…yet.

ISDN has many flaws – Cost for hardware, cost for monthly service, cost per minute while connected and availability – fewer and fewer markets will even install a line much less service it. What’s worse is the fewer studios that use it (much less require it) make it even more of a hardship expense that you will rarely put to use. I know a lot of people who have ISDN for one client. ONE! They barely earn enough to cover the costs but you know, times are tight. Can’t “afford” to lose business.

The idea that you need a separate, dedicated, 20-year-old piece of technology, data line with extra expensive equipment is absurd. ISDN is like the Newspaper of digital recording. You know the oldest guy at your work who takes 4 hours to reply to an email because he checks it maybe twice a day at best and can really only be counted on if you walk to his desk and tell him something face to face? He’s the ISDN of your office. I think as younger talent continue to flow into big production houses and networks (some of the very last to regularly use it), pushing out dated thinkers – well so comes the death knell for ISDN. Youth breeds advancement.

SoundStreak – New school?

I wont even bother trying to explain SoundStreak, though its pretty self-explanatory, because my old pals at EWABS had a live demo on their show Monday Night and it shows you EVERYTHING. I recommend the whole ep but this should take you direct to the demo.

Dan Lenard’s MIC tip is great. Its a few minutes into the show so watch that for sure.

Thanks for the plug, Ryan! To be fair to my friends at Source-Elements, Source Connect is capable of far exceeding the audio quality of ISDN ‘s Mpeg L2 Mono 128kbps (an ancient codec) by using MP4 AAC at even higher bit rates than a typical ISDN service is capable of providing.
Keep it up, love your podcast!